The Crew

Born in Baraboo, Wisconsin—birthplace of the Ringling Brothers and home to half a dozen different circuses—instead of lullabies, Dave Robkin drifted off to the sound of a distant circus calliope. And if you’ve ever heard the shrill, steam-powered whistle of a genuine calliope (and met Dave), that explains a lot.

As if growing up in “Circus City” weren’t odd enough, the sky over Baraboo was filled with vintage and handmade contraptions from the nearby Experimental Aircraft Association. Witnessing feats of aerial aerobatics at a tender age, young Dave developed a taste for adventure along with an appreciation for the ingenuity and craftsmanship of past eras.

Drawn to the sunny skies and wide-open possibilities of California, Dave spread his wings and traveled 2,000 miles to attend Pomona College. His first California adventure? Skydiving. To date he has logged 47 skydives.

It was while he held the position of Head Zookeeper (no, really) at a little outfit called Unlicensed Chimp Technologies that Dave’s home brews caught the attention of one of UCT’s founders, Kirill. (More about Kirill’s story later, but we’ll say this: Soviet Union defection, JPL, multiple aerospace patents pending.)

Kirill’s backing made Wingwalker possible and gave rise to Dave’s motto: “Always drink with smart people.”